


Rag Doll

by Rambling_Museums



Category: Lucifer (TV), NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Deal with a Devil, Gen, How Do I Tag, Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV) is a Little Shit, Nonbinary Character, One Shot, Queer Themes, queer Lucifer Morningstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26329084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rambling_Museums/pseuds/Rambling_Museums
Summary: "Tell him I say 'Hi'."Callen stepped into the elevator.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	Rag Doll

**Author's Note:**

> There is no real timeline here but for Lucifer: it takes place sometime in S2/S3 (probably S3). For NCIS: LA - it takes place after Deeks joins the team but he's away on this so it doesn't really matter that much.

"Okay, Kensi's in position out back. You're nearly inside, and I'm farther back. Don't do anything until I'm inside too." Sam whispered through the ear piece in Callen's ear. They were outside one of LA's popular nightclubs, _Lux_ waiting for their operation to begin in earnest. Callen wanted to tease his partner about not doing anything, not even leaving the entrance way, until the other agent was inside but he was too close to the bouncer now - only two groups ahead of him a trio of young women dressed for dancing and one tall bald man decidedly not dressed for dancing. The trio chatted with the bouncer for a few minutes before he agreed to let them in, the bald man simply nodded and was ushered in.

Callen wondered briefly if he was rich, an employee, or a regular. With clothes like that he probably wasn't working the bar, and there must be other entrances for employees but maybe he was some new DJ. Callen, in the guise of an oil baron, grinned easily at the bouncer and passed over his fake ID. The bouncer kept him there until a group of five revellers left with an authoritative claim that the club was at capacity.

Callen listened to Kensi and Sam bicker with half an ear as he observed the multi-level enterprise that was _Lux_ \- Sam didn't like how long it would take him to get inside. He didn't want to leave Callen without backup. Kensi believed Callen could take care of himself for half an hour. Callen wondered how many lawsuits the owner had to deal with given all the drunk people and stairs in the club. 

Callen passed an appreciative glance over the girls and boys dancing on tables and floors. He paused and frowned softly as he saw the grand piano. It was an odd thing to find in a nightclub. Odder still was the wide birth his fellow patrons gave it - not a single sticky hand print or empty glass on the small one-foot stage that housed the piano. Callen ordered a beer, "What's with the piano?"

The bartender glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, "It's the boss's."

"Right." Callen moved away from the bar finding a relatively quite table that gave him a relatively good view of a good portion of the club. The bartender's boss could only be the elusive "Lucifer Morningstar" Eric and Sam had a bet going on if that was a real name or a nick name. Callen thought it was likely the club owner's legal name, if not birth name.

Callen's team were here on the job but it was an odd one. According to their victim's roommate the late ensign Greg Jackson had come to _Lux_ a few months before and returned home a changed man. The roommate hadn't gotten too many details but thought that the ensign had made some sort of deal with the club owner. According to Eric's research, Lucifer Morningstar was infamous for making deals. Everything from introducing up-and-coming stars to producers to providing support to charities - for a reciprocal act of support of course. "There's even one story - I haven't been able to confirm it yet - of this guy helping some kid get away from his abusive family in exchange for a charcoal drawing."

Callen cared about his work. He cared about protecting his country and the people who serve it. But he normally didn't get too invested in the investigations. The nature of his work sometimes meant that he had to drop an investigation, a case, a cover identity at the drop of a hat and never look at it again. Something about this deal-making devil wannabe was interesting him though. He wondered who would be willing to make deals like that. He wondered how one would go about keeping up their end of the bargain.

Callen made small talk for a few moments with a woman in a silvery dress as he waited for the double click in his earpiece that would mean Sam was in position. She was a regular, it turned out, said that she was hoping Lucifer would come down and sing but she doubted it. He only did that on quieter nights than that particular Friday. But maybe he'd come down and mingle anyway. She pointed to a woman behind the bar down a ways from the bartender that helped Callen, "That's Mazikeen. She and Lucifer are old friends or something. I think she's the General Manager here for him so he can run around doing playboy things. You want to talk to her if your looking for the Devil." She gave a drunken wink and laughed into her martini.

Callen thanked her as another woman pulled her away from his perch. Eric told Callen about Mazikeen Smith. She was on the books as the bar's manager but also had a side gig as a bounty hunter of all things. Eric said it looked like she had a violent streak that someone somewhere was keeping off the LAPD's radar. Probably her rich boss (or lover? or casual sex partner? Eric couldn't really tell. There was a lot of rumours about their relationship. Including, but not limited to, some strange method actor training where she played the part of a demon to his devil.)

Callen's earpiece clicked twice.

* * *

Mazikeen Smith raked her eyes up Callen's body, "You want to see the boss?" She raised an eyebrow, "You don't really look the type. What's your name, I'll see if he's in."

"Callen." Callen said. It wasn't the name on his ID that night. He wasn't sure why he gave it.

Mazikeen pulled out her phone and shot off a text before pouring a drink for another patron. Callen set his half-drunk pint on the bar and settled in to wait.

"He says you can go up if you want. Lift's over there." she pointed to an elevator at the top of a small set of stairs on the other side of the piano, "you so much as look at the little human wrong and you won't be walking out of here." she punctuated her threat by cutting a lemon up with the bar knife. Callen nodded as if it made sense.

Kensi in his ear was quick to ask Eric back in Ops if there were any record of children. Callen left his beer on the bar and wove through the dancers to the elevator and took a deep calming breath as he slowly ascended up and up and up and up. There were only a few floors to choose from. Mazikeen hadn't told Callen where to go but he had to guess that Morningstar would be at the top. He could always come back down checking along the way if he was wrong.

* * *

A banging, screeching, completely off-key piano melody filtered into the elevator before it stopped. "What the hell is that?" Sam grumbled through the ear-piece.

"It sounds like a child banging on the keys." Callen muttered. That couldn't be the club owner, could it? Did Lucifer Morningstar whale on the piano like down stairs too? Where people could hear it?

"Stop! Stop it spawn!" a British man shouted as the elevator opened. "I know you can play better than that." Callen stepped out of the elevator into a sitting area with a full bar to match the one downstairs, another piano, and across the room a doorless arch exposing a low, wide bed. A tall man with dark hair and a tailored suit that matched the description of Morningstar had his back to Callen and his shoulder's hunched. He had his hands clasped over his ears.

Perched on the piano bench was a young girl. Less than 10 by Callen's best estimate. She was the source of the dreadful noise. She grinned impishly at Morningstar and caught sight of Callen.

"Hi! My name's Trixie, are you a friend of Lucifer?" She hopped off the bench and bounced over to Callen.

"Hi Trixie, not yet but I hope to be Lucifer's friend soon." Callen smiled tightly at the girl with his eye on Lucifer.

"Oh, you're the one Maze texted me about. Go on, spawn, your mother said something about having to do geography before I can give you any cake. Naturally, there is cake in the kitchen." His voice was soft and he flicked his hands dismissively at the child. She pumped a fist in the air and winked at Morningstar before jogging off deeper into the penthouse and out of Callen's line of sight, "baby sitting." Lucifer shot Callen a smile, "who would have thought, the devil himself babysitting someone's spawn." he shook his head ruefully.

"Right, can I get you a drink, Mr. Callen was it?" He grabbed one of the many ( _many_ ) labelless decanters and poured himself a drink before offering a glass to Callen.

"Thank you, Mr. Morningstar."

"Lucifer, please. Mr. Morningstar sounds completely wrong." He led Callen to the sitting area, "What can I do for you Mr. Callen?"

"A friend of mine died recently."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'd offer to get a message to them but unless they went to hell there's nothing I can do." He grinned at Callen over the rim of his tumbler.

"That's okay," Callen frowned. He wasn't sure how he was expected to respond to Morningstar's more devilish claims, "It's actually. He - his roommate said he met you a few months ago and it changed him. I was, I thought you might remember him. He was a Navy ensign."

"Hm, Navy. Yes there was an event at Lux a few months ago some sort of," he gestured smoothly with his free hand somehow conveying the idea of a party, "however, if you don't give me this fellow's name how can I be sure which one is which?"

"Which one what?"

"Well which strapping young man of course. I have met so many warriors in my life it is difficult to keep track of them all." Lucifer's soft voice sounded almost wistful, "Well?"

"Ensign Greg Jackson." Callen cleared his throat as Sam loudly asked Eric how his background check didn't show that Morningstar was gay? "Its not like he's hiding it Eric."

"Ah, yes, young Jackson." Lucifer's eyes softened as his smile fell away, "They didn't like to be called Greg though, didn't you know that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, how seriously do you take that silly Don't Ask Don't Tell rule of your military?"

"He was gay?" Callen didn't bother faking his surprise. There was no evidence of homosexuality. Unless he counted Jackson's lack of a girlfriend but that wasn't exactly unusual in the Navy.

"They weren't a 'he', Mr. Callen." Morningstar set his empty glass on the side table and leaned forward. His voice was soft and drew Callen in like spider silk, "Jackson was never a man and wanted nothing more than to be recognized for who they were. That's something I can understand myself you see.

"Tell me, Mr. Callen, what do you desire?"

"I, well.." Callen's thoughts tumbled away from the investigation unbidden. He could understand the desire to be known as well.

"Its okay, Mr. Callen, you can tell me." Lucifer's smile was back in full force, "I know you want to."

"I want to know what my name is." Callen said in a rush and like magic his thoughts returned to him.

"Interesting! You don't know your own name. How does that happen I wonder? Well I can certainly -"

"Lucifer!" Trixie's shout cut off whatever Morningstar was going to say, "Lucifer help."

Callen made to get up but Lucifer motioned him back down with a calm hand, "Won't be a moment, Mr. Callen, excuse me.

"Yes child, what is it now?" He called as he made his way deeper into the penthouse. Callen wasn't sure if Morningstar didn't see Callen as a threat or was too distracted by Trixie's shout despite the decided lack of speed he took to investigate.

"G what were you thinking telling him your real name? And what was that 'desire' thing?" Sam sounded frustrated. Callen could make out the sound of some old hard rock in the background as Sam talked. _The Devil's Music_. The sound cut off as Sam cut his mic again.

"Later Sam, focus on what else Morningstar said: Jackson was trans, I think. Morningstar didn't call him a woman or anything like that.

"Is this guy hitting on you?" Kensi asked. Her mic didn't pick up any distracting background sounds from the inside of the lookout vehicle.

"We don't have long before he gets back. Eric do you have anything useful?" Callen kept is voice low. He could hear Trixie speaking but couldn't make out her words. He didn't hear Morningstar at all.

"No. Nothing." Eric said, "Wait. hold on. His search history does show he looked into legally changing his name about a week ago. My cousin did that as part of his transition."

Callen nodded to himself. He took a small sip of his drink, curious about what sort of drink the so-called devil would offer a random caller.

Scotch. Probably worth a week's wages.

Callen almost wished he had the pallet to appreciate it as anything more than a show of wealth. Morningstar and Trixie came back into the sitting area (front room? bar? who cares?).

"Hi Callen!"

"Hello Trixie." Callen smiled at the girl like he would one of Sam's children, "How are you?"

"I'm good! I'm going to get ice cream with Maze, want to come?"

"Now, child I don't think your mother would like that."

"Awe, please Lucifer? Maze will be there."

"Well I suppose she is more than adequate protection for one little spawn." Lucifer conceded.

"Thank you for inviting me, Trixie," Callen cut his host off before the man could commit Callen to an ice cream, "But I don't really like ice cream much."

"You're weird." Trixie informed him primly, "But okay. Bye Lucifer!" She hugged the man around the middle. He stiffened and hesitantly patted her head, "Bye Callen, it was nice meeting you!" and with that she slipped into the elevator and away from Callen's sight.

"Is that 10 year old going to your bar?" Callen asked. He knew Sam would position himself to watch out for Trixie if he could.

"Don't be absurd. She's 9." As if that made any part of this better, "And nothing will happen to her. Mazikeen will take her out for ice cream. Honestly its as if the demon doesn't think I notice that she only has time to work downstairs when the child is staying here." he sighed indulgently and straightened his cuff.

"Now then, where were we? Oh yes, your desire." Morningstar practically purred at Callen.

"Actually, I was asking you about my friend. You were telling me he - I mean, she? was trans."

"They, darling." Lucifer, "Weren't you paying attention?"

"Sorry I'm just shocked," Callen took another sip of his drink as if to steady his nerves, "He-they never said anything to anyone."

"Well of course not!" Lucifer said. His soft voice soothed at the rough edges Callen pretended to have, "you humans are so judgmental about such silly things as sexuality and gender." Both sounded like curse words.

"Young Jackson came to me for help with that." Lucifer eyed Callen, "I have some experience with rebellion and name changes. I have to say, I've never tried to find out someone's birth name." He ran his eyes down Callen's body exactly the way Mazikeen had before, "It could be an interesting challenge." He didn't voice his offer, leaving the temptation to hover between them.

"And how exactly were you helping Jackson?"

"I introduced him to an Admiral I know. Owes me a favour. They were thinking about an early honourable discharge but I'm not sure that's what they settled on." Lucifer filled his tumbler again and sipped the scotch.

"And what did you get out of the deal?"

"A devilish IOU. Jackson's family is fairly well off in their industry and who knows when I might need the support of a former ensign?"

"An IOU?" Callen raised his eyebrows, matching Morningstar's own wide eyes.

"Well yes, it is my normal method. Obviously there are exceptions if the person I am dealing with has something I need at the moment but normally, I can afford to wait to collect."

"Oh I get it, a deal with the devil. Do you take their souls too?" Callen kept his voice light and jocular.

"What reason would I have to want somebody's soul? wretched things that they are.

"No, just a favour. For example, Mr. Callen, I could look into your name and once I provide it to you, you would owe me something in return." He trailed off, "Actually, what do you do? You don't look clean cut enough for this nation's armed forces. And you apparently don't know your own name. From what the Detective has told me, those are fairly important for employment in this century."

Callen kept quiet for a moment. Through his ear he could hear Hetty in Ops with Eric, "My boss, Hetty, says to say 'Hi'."

"Oh law enforcement!" Lucifer said excitedly, "How is dear Henrietta? Last I saw her, well, perhaps that is a story for her to tell." He winked at Callen. Callen refused to imagine what that wink could mean.

"Incoming," Sam said as the elevator whirred to life.

"Hetty's good." Callen glanced at the elevator and set his tumbler down finally. He'd drunk more of the scotch than he thought. Less than a finger remained of the two Lucifer gave him. Not enough to effect him, but surprising none the less.

* * *

"Lucifer we need to talk." The newcomer said without preamble. It was the man who entered _Lux_ just before Callen. In the light of the Penthouse Callen could see he was handsome and broad and looked strong under his rumpled jacket.

"Not now brother. Can't you see I have a guest?" Lucifer's smile was tight and forced.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize Luci was entertaining."

"I'm actually on my way out." Callen pulled himself up and reached out a hand to the other man, "Callen."

"Amenadiel" Amenadiel shook Callen's hand. He had a strong, sure grip.

"Nice to meet you Amenadiel. Lucifer, thank you for your time."

"Give Henrietta a kiss for me, won't you?" Lucifer winked at Callen again but didn't get up from his seat, "As for you brother, did you think I wouldn't notice what you did to my closet?" Callen didn't bother trying to understand that particular comment as the elevator doors closed and he began his decent. 


End file.
